Transmission device.



G. A. GILBERTSON.

TRANSMISSION D'EVICE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 15,1916.

Patented Sept. 18,1917.

IIIIIILII a division. The

GUSTAV A. GILBERTSON, 0F BENSON, MINNESOTA.

TRANSMISSION DEVICE.

1,240,334. Original application filed March 13,

sota, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Transmission Devices, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has for its object to produce a simple, effective and reliable clutch device between the parts of a shaft as, for example, a drop shaft of a sheep shearing apparatus.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but, for a full understanding of my invention and of its object and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing,

wherein: Figu of the drop shaft of a sheep shearing apparatus and the tool supporting means; and Fig. 2 is a vertical central section on an enlarged scale, the tool supporting device being omitted. s

Referring to the drawing 1 represents a tube which may be the lower end of a drop shaft supporting tube such as illustrated in my prior application 83,999, filed March 13, 1916, of which the present application is lower end of the tube is split as indicated at 2. Within the lower end of the tube is a sleeve, 3, which is conveniently held in place by a clamping band, 4 surrounding the tube and clamping it tightly upon the sleeve. Extending through and rotatable in the sleeve is the tubular stem, 5, of a housing or casing, 6, inwhich lies one member 7, of a pair of complementary universal gears, the other member of which is carried by the tool supporting device, 8. The gear 7 is carried on the lower end of a stem, 9, having on its upper or innerend a head, 10, of a diameter lar e enough to permit it to engage with the en 5 of both the members 3 and 5.

Arranged axially within the tube is a rotatable shaft, 11, which may have any desired cross section but is illustrated as being Specification of Letters Patent.

. moved relatively V I Between the bushing, 12, re 1 is a side view of the lower end Patented Sept. 18, 1917.

1916, Serial No. 83,999. Divided and this application filed July 15,

1916. Serial No. 109,431.

square in order that it may bereceived within the square opening in another shaft section and thus provide a driving connection which permits the two shaft sections to be to each other in the axial direction. Where the shaft is made square it may conveniently be surrounded by a cylindrical bushing, 12, fitting withina bearing sleeve, 13, brazed or otherwise rigidly secured within the tube; the bushing being conveniently made with a flange, 14, on its lower end which prevents it from being pushed upwardly through the sleeve, 13. The lower end of the shaft, 11, is preferably made cylindrical as indicated at 15 and projects into acvlindrical bore or seat in the member 10. The upper face of the head 10 is provided with teeth, 16, complementary to a series of teeth, 17 on the under face of apart, 18, slidably mounted on the shaft 11 but rotatable with the latter; the teeth 16 and 17 forming clutch teeth and the head 10 and the member 18 being therefore complementary cooperating clutch members. and the member 18 is a spring, 19, which serves both to hold the bushing up and to press the clutch member, 18, down. When free to do so, the member 18 descends until its clutch teeth are in an operatve engagement with the teeth on the head 10. V

For operating the clutch I have placed on the member 1 a sleeve, 20, carrying one or more pins orprojections, 21, extending through a slot or slots, v22, in the tube and into anannular groove, 23, in the clutch member 18. The connection between the member 18 and the sleeve therefore permits the member 18 to be rotated independently of the sleeve, while enabling the sleeve to shift the member 18 in the axial direction.

Normally, when free to do so, the spring and the weight of the member 18 cause the member 18 to engage with the complementary clutch member, thus producing a driving connection between the shaft and the gear 7. When the operator desires to stop the operation of the tool or other thing which is driven by the gear 7 he simply slides the sleeve 20 upwardly on the tube, thus opening the clutch and permitting the driving shaft to rotate without rotatingthe gear. For the convenience of the operator, and in order to make it unnecessary for him to hold the clutch open by hand, I prefer at its upper end a. lateral projection, 25,.

adapted to spring above or below a rib or ring, 26, or other suitable projection fixed to the supporting tube 1. By making the ring orprojection of the proper width, the clutch will beheld closed by'the catch as well as being held in its open position; thus preventing the member 18 of the clutch from accidentally jumping out of engagement with'the'coeperating member, I

' The means illustrated for supporting the casing 6 permits the tool carried thereby to be swung about the axis of the dropshaft without turning the latter 'or,"i-n other words, it affords a swivel connection between the tool and the driving supporting means. It will of course be understood that this feature need not be used in connection with the clutch although, in an apparatus .of the kind illustrated, it is a useful associa} tion as it brings the swivel and the clutch together and simplifies the construction.

' While I have illustrated and described with particularity only a single form of my invention and explained only a single use thereof, I do not desire to be limited to the exact structural details thus illustrated and described or to any particular use; but intend to cover all forms and arrangements covered by the terms employed in the appended claims which constitute the definitions of my invention.

I claim:

, 1.'In an apparatus of the character described, a tube, a driving shaft and a driven shaft arranged in alinement with each other in the tube, a clutch between said shafts, a clutch actuating collar surrounding said tube and movable lengthwise thereof, means connecting saidcollar with said clutch, and a catch device for yieldingly holding said collar in one of its positions.

' 2; In an apparatus of the character described, a tube, a driving shaft and a driven shaftarranged in alinement with each other in the tube, a clutch between said shafts, a I

clutch actuating collar surrounding said tube and movable lengthwise thereof, means con necting said collar with saidclutch, and a catch device for yieldingly holding said collar in each of its working positions.

In an apparatus of the character described, a tube, a driving shaftand a driven shaft arranged in alinement with each other in said tube, a clutch in the tube'between driving connection is other shaft,

said shafts, a clutch actuating collar supported on the tube and slidable lengthwise thereof, said tube having a slot therein in proximity to the clutch, and a part extending from said collar through said slot and lnto engagement with theclutch.

In an apparatus of the characterv described, a supporting tube, a driving shaft and ajdriven shaft alined within'the'tube, a clutch between said shafts, an actuating collar for the clutch slidably supported on the tube for movements lengthwise thereof, a spring fingercarried by said .collar, and interlocking shoulders on the spring finger and on the'tube forcausing the collar to be "into and revoluble in said enlargedend, a

part revol'uble with said driving shaft and capable of sliding axially thereon located in proximity to said enlarged end,-t-he adjacent faces of .said enlarged end and of the aforesaid part having complementary clutchteeth, a collar surroundingthe tube, and a connection between said collar and the aforesaid part on the drlvingshaft.

6. In an apparatus. ofthe character described, a tube, a driving shaft and a driven shaft .alined within the "tube, one of said shafts, having a clutch face on its end, a part slidable on the other of said shafts but rotatable therewith-having a clutch face complementary to the aforesaid clutch. face, and means including a device mounted on the exterior of the tube for shifting said part along its supporting shaft to bring said clutch faces into and out of engagement with each other. p

In an apparatus of the character described, a tube, a driving shaft and a driven shaft alined within the. tube, one of said shafts having a clutch face on its end, a part slidable on the other of said'shaftsbut ro-- tatable therewith havlng a clutch face com plementary to the aforesaid clutch face, a spring acting on said part and tending normally tohold it in a position in whichsaid clutch faces engage with each other, and means on the exterior of said tube for moving said part lengthwise of its supporting shaft.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, a tube, a driving shaft, and "a driven shaft alined with each other in the tube, one of said shafts having a cross section other than circular, a bushing fitting about the latter shaft and havingv a cylindrical exterior bearing surface, a clutch member slidablelengthwise and rotatable with the latter shaft, a cotiperating clutch member on the and a. spring arranged between said bushing and the slidable clutch mem- 1 ber.

9. In an apparatus of the character described, a tube, a driving shaft and a driven shaft alined with each other in the tube, one of said shafts having a cross section other than circular, a bushing fitting about the latter shaft and having a cylindrical exterior bearing surface, a clutch member slidable lengthwise and rotatable with the latter shaft, a cooperating clutch member on the other shaft, and a spring arranged between said bushing and the slidable clutch member, said bushing and said tube having engaging shoulders to prevent the bushing from moving lengthwise in the tube.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for 10. In an apparatus of the character described, a tube, a driven shaft projecting into the tube and having an enlargement at its inner end, a bearing sleeve surrounding said shaft and having one end in engagement with said enlargement, a second sleeve surrounding the aforesaid sleeve and also engaging said enlargement at one of its ends, said tube being split in the vicinity of said sleeves, means for rigidly clamping the tube about the sleeve, and means in the tube for driving said shaft.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification.

GUSTAV A. GILBERTSON.

five cents, each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, .D. G. 

